Effect of betaine supplementation in diets containing sub-optimal levels of DL-methionine and choline on performance broilers

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of dietary betaine supplementation as a partial replacement for DL-methionine and choline on performance and carcass traits of broilers reared in summer. A total of 140 broilers were used in completely randomized design with four treatments and seven replicates in each treatment. Maize and soybean meal based control diets containing 2950, 3050 and 3150 kcal ME and 23%, 21% and 19.5% crude protein, respectively during pre-starter (1–11 d), starter (12–21 d) and finisher (22–42 d) phases were prepared. A basal diet (BD) with reduced concentration of supplemental DL-methionine (0.085% in diet) and devoid of choline chloride (50%) was prepared. The BD was supplemented with betaine at two concentrations i.e. 0.13 and 0.26%. Each diet was fed ad libitum from 1 d to 42 d of age. The results indicated that at 21 d of age, the body weight gain, feed intake and FCR reduced significantly (P<0.001) in groups fed low methionine and choline basal diet. Supplementation of Bet at 0.13% increased the growth performance similar to the broilers fed on the control diet at 21 d of age. At 42 d of age, weight gain and feed consumption and feed conversion ratio were not affected with dietary treatment. Supplementation of diet with betaine at 0.26% increased significantly (P<0.005) the breast similar to those fed the control diet. Betaine supplementation improved growth performance (0.13 and 0.26%) during starter phase and breast yield (0.26%) at 42 d of age in broilers fed diet containing low Met and devoid of supplemental choline.